A $1 million pledge from the HNI Charitable Foundation will help the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business create a new state-of-the-art business education facility.
HNI Corporation, headquartered in Muscatine, Iowa, is a leading provider of workplace furnishings and residential building products and has been a longstanding partner in the development and recruitment of talent from the University of Iowa.
The pledge will help renovate Tippie’s John Pappajohn Business Building and the adjacent Gilmore Hall to create a single facility featuring new classrooms and learning areas with first-rate technology and real-world experiences that prepare students for their careers.
Jeff Lorenger, chairman, president and CEO of HNI Corporation, said the pledge will continue to strengthen collaboration and help ensure Iowa remains a place where innovation, talent, and opportunity thrive.
“HNI is proud to support the renovation and expansion at the Tippe College of Business, an investment not only in the university’s future but in the future of Iowa’s business community,” Lorenger said. “This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to developing the next generation of leaders and strengthening the connection between education and industry. The University of Iowa has long been a valuable partner to our company, and a vital component of our talent pipeline. We’re honored to play a role in advancing its mission.”
Amy Kristof-Brown, Henry B. Tippie dean, said the college’s enrollment is more than double what the Pappajohn building served when it was built in 1994, and enrollment is expected to continue growing. In addition, classroom experiences are different than they were 30 years ago and now involve more active learning and learning in teams, which is difficult to do in Gilmore’s tiered classrooms designed for lectures.
“This expansion will give our students room to grow, both academically and professionally, by creating space for everything from team-based capstone projects and innovative coworking space to industry partnerships through executives in residence and industry-focused student centers,” said Kristof-Brown.
Opened in 1910, Gilmore Hall originally served as the university’s College of Law and shares a courtyard with Pappajohn. More recently, it’s the home of the university’s Graduate College and academic departments. The renovations will connect the two buildings with an atrium, adding new classrooms and laboratories, student gathering spots, expanded career services space, and faculty offices built around academic hubs to foster greater scholarly collaboration.
“We’re creating a business campus where innovation, collaboration, and industry connections advance Tippie’s mission to deliver accessible, world-class education and thought leadership for the next generation of business professionals,” said Kristof-Brown.
The Iowa Board of Regents approved the facility expansion in August 2024. The estimated $60 million, two-year project is funded largely by private giving and is expected to be complete by Fall 2028.
Media contact: Tom Snee, 319-384-0010 (o); 319-541-8434 (c); tom-snee@uiowa.edu